Richmond’s 365 Days of Dining – Vote Ed!

by Ed Lau on March 21, 2012

There really is no way to say this without sounding like a politician but I would love to represent Richmond as the 365 Days of Dining blogger. While I will not have the power to lower taxes or fight crime, my best efforts each day would be put towards making this blog as informative, engaging and fun as possible. To be frank, I do feel like I’m the best choice for the job.

Why? It could be because I absolutely adore Richmond. I love Richmond like Ray Charles loved Georgia or that kid that 50 Cent says loves cake. Writing songs is probably out of the question since my musical talent is limited* but I could make this into a heck of a fun blog.

I’ve always said that I think Richmond is just about the best place on the planet when it comes to living. Everything is quite convenient. People are friendly. The streets are safe. Richmond is quiet when we need some quiet and fun when we want to cut loose. I know I’ve also professed my love for Japan, Germany and even parts of the United States. I know I’ve mentioned I might want to live downtown or elsewhere for awhile but Tokyo, London, Robson Street…we’re just friends. Richmond, we’re best friends. We’re family.

Whoever is selected for 365 Days of Dining is going to be representing Richmond to the world. I’m sure we’d all like to be introduced by someone that truly knows who we are rather than someone we just met.

I’m relatively well traveled and I enjoy living abroad as well. Nothing broadens your mind like experiencing other cultures and parts of the world you haven’t been. Travel is food for your soul but like revisiting old favorites such as wonton noodles or a nice, rare burger after more adventurous edibles, I always love coming back to Richmond. The mystery and allure of a foreign land may keep me away for a little while but I always know where my heart is. No matter where I happen to be, Richmond will always be my hometown and it will always proudly say so on my Facebook page.

It could be for my love for food. Although my parents tell me I was a fussy eater as a toddler, it didn’t take long for my love affair with food to begin. While other kids were watching Saved by the Bell, I would follow along with Yan Can Cook.

I figured if he could cook, so could I! Don’t get me wrong, I still watched Saved by the Bell but throughout my younger years, I idolized the chefs on Food Network. By the time I got to high school, I followed along with Emeril Lagasse (BAM!), Bobby Flay and Mario Batali. I remember watching the original Japanese Iron Chef for the first time (Battle Asparagus) and being awed by the creativity.

I love to cook. Love getting my hands, as well as several counter-tops, many dishes and much of the floor, dirty. I love knowing what goes into my food and what produces the flavors I enjoy. Food isn’t just something that keeps us alive, it’s just so much more. It can bring back the memories you thought were lost. It’s a great reason to sit down with friends for a few hours. Food can be fun. Food can tell a story. Food can be art. Some of you may be scoffing at me thinking I’m possibly exaggerating but perhaps you’ve never bit into the perfect piece of otoro, Granny Smith green apple sorbet or one of those burnt ends from The Hog Shack.

It could be because I know my way around writing, photo/video-ography and social media. I won’t profess to be the best but I know what I’m capable of and how I can grow in each area. As a combination of talents, I feel like I stack up well against the competition and I can do what it takes to make this a success not only for myself but for Richmond. Blogging isn’t going to be the only responsibility with 365 Days of Dining. This isn’t Field of Dreams where they’ll come because you built something. Traffic doesn’t appear out of thin air, it has to be generated and promoted. I’ve spent the last six years networking and digging into the local social media scene and I’ve already got ideas on audience participation as well as how I can give back to my home community.

That’s why I would absolutely be over the moon if I was chosen for this not only because I think it would be a great time, eating amazing food but because I would get to share Richmond with everyone and tell them exactly how awesome my city is.

It is quite apparent that your passion for food is boundless. Hope you get selected for the 365 days of Dining, as you will surely do the role justice.

When I think about it, other than food, nothing else in nature has the capability to induce the dazzling variety of sensations. For example, I love sampling the same cuisine prepared by different people just because of how different each experience will be despite having similar vibes.

What a passionate post. I can confirm to anyone who doesn’t know you and will be deciding who to pick that you are indeed very passionate about food and know Richmond well. As your post proves you can also write with passion about it. They should really think twice if they don’t give you this right away.

How did you enjoy talking to CBC TV as they interviewed you? If you don’t mind sharing that you can expand on it by commenting on my post about CBC TV filming at Vancouver Bloggers Dot Com Pho lunch.

Is Yan Can Cook still a on going program in your country? It’s pretty nostalgic for me to see the image you posted on him, because he was in Singapore for a year or 2, about a decade a go, and it was one of the program i follow!